Inside San Francisco (Aug 15th, 2016)

More than 100 homes have been destroyed and thousands of people have been evacuated from Lower Lake due to the Clayton wildfire. The post office, a Habitat for Humanity office, and a winery were some of the buildings engulfed by the flames. The fire initially broke out on Saturday afternoon and began threatening 150 homes. "This fire roared through the city like a wave of water -- it was a wave of fire that came through here," said Lt. Doug Pittman. – MERCURY

School districts in the Bay Area are offering bonuses between $1,000 and $10,000 to teachers pursuing positions in areas including math, special education and speech. As a result, there has been heightened competition between teachers vying for jobs. However, the decision process is time-consuming, according to administrators. Pittsburg, for instance, is still seeking 15 teachers ahead of its Aug. 17 start date for the school year. – MERCURY

A Pitzer College student is facing backlash after placing an advertisement on a Facebook page for a non-white roommate. Kare Urena, who posted the ad and lives in off-campus housing, stresses that she does not “hate white people.” She said, “I am eagerly desperate to create a safe space on this campus in order for me to return and be successful here.” The school’s president has said the post is “inconsistent with the mission and values” of Pitzer. – KRON4

Do you think it's inappropriate to make these specifications in an advertisement? Did you expect Urena to be more apologetic? Hit REPLY and let us know your thoughts.

Construction on 1300 Fourth Street (Mission Bay Block 6 East) is slated to begin in September, and it will provide 142 affordable apartments when it's completed. The building will also have room for up to seven ground-floor commercial spaces. The Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Group will manage the apartments, which will range in size from 600 to 1,300 square feet. Twenty percent of the apartments will be given to formerly homeless families. – SS

A large line formed in front of a new Dunkin’ Donuts in Half Moon Bay this morning in anticipation of the store’s grand opening. Some people had begun lining up around 11 p.m. on Sunday night for donuts and coffee. A Dunkin’ Donuts that opened in Walnut Creek in June saw similar fanfare, with lines that resulted in a one-hour wait for food. – SFGATE

Sculptor Bruce Wolfe has been commissioned by San Francisco Chief of Protocol Charlotte Shultz to sculpt singer Tony Bennett for the Fairmont Hotel atop Nob Hill. The sculpture, which will be revealed on Aug. 19 at noon, is meant to be a 90th birthday gift to Bennett, who debuted at the Fairmont in 1954. Bennett himself is slated to perform at AT&T Park on Friday night. Locals may know him for his ballad, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” – SFC

IN-DEPTH READS

IN-DEPTH READS

On August 10, Kate Downing of the Palo Alto Transportation and Planning Commission submitted her letter of resignation, citing that she could no longer afford to live in the community where she worked. She noted that she was sharing her current home with another couple for $6,200 a month, and it would’ve cost her $2.7 million to buy the property.

“It’s clear that if professionals like me cannot raise a family here, then all of our teachers, first responders, and service workers are in dire straits,” she wrote.

Now, the Stanford Political Journal has published a recent interview with Downing on affordable housing and the state of Palo Alto. In the interview, Downing said she does not think it’s possible for the community to go back to a time when it was a “picturesque small town.” However, she noted that areas like Palo Alto and Mountain View could potentially change their direction and resolve their situations. The housing shortage is simply holding back these cities and towns.

“It really is an effort that has to be taken by all parts of the Bay Area,” said Downing. “And unfortunately, for individual cities the incentives are not well aligned to build housing.”

For the Family: The Picklewater Free Circus Festival will take place on Sunday, August 21 between 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. at Union Square. The event will feature circus acts from around the Bay Area.

A Night Out on the Town: “Grand Concourse,” a comedic, compassionate play starring actress Heidi Schreck, will be playing at the Ashby Stage (1901 Ashby Ave, Berkeley) between August 17 and 21. Tickets are on sale starting at $10.00. "Stimulating and entertaining... fine performances, tight direction, and unsentimental, authentic script." - Emily S. Mendel, Berkeleyside

For Foodies: The 6th Annual Noe Valley Wine Walk will be held on Thursday, August 18 beginning on 24th Street (from Diamond to Chattanooga) between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.00, and the event will happen rain or shine. “Who knew walking and wine would go together so well?” – Ryan G., Twitter

Conference News: The HRTechXpo, featuring exhibitors from across the tech and HR industries, is set to take place at the Hyatt Regency (5 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco) on Friday, August 19. The general admission rate is $159.00. “Looking forward to seeing the latest HR Tech at #HRTechXPo on Aug 19th in SF!” – Darren M., Twitter

CRIME ROUND-UP

A female body has been pulled out of the water on Sharp Park Beach. She was found floating near the surface on Sunday night and declared dead on the scene. Police are working to determine the cause of death.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency operator Carla Romero, 32, claims she was beaten by an unidentified man on Saturday morning. The incident happened as she was returning her bus to the yard for repair. SFMTA spokesperson Paul Rose said he could not comment on details of the case.

Former RadiumOne CEO Gurbaksh Chahal has been sentenced to one year in county jail for violating probation. He had originally been convicted of domestic violence in 2014. His bail is now set at $250,000.